Welcoming a New Administration: 2024 election results have sweeping implications for agriculture
As the last of the voting polls closed and more than 140 million ballots were tallied, Donald Trump was ultimately triumphant in a hard-fought campaign against Kamala Harris, securing 291 electoral college votes and 50.8 percent of the people’s vote.
“I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected the 47th – and 45th – president,” Trump said at an early morning rally in West Palm Beach, Fla. following his victory.
“Every citizen, I will fight for you, your family and your future every single day. I will not rest until we deliver the strong, safe and prosperous America our children and all of you deserve,” he continued. “This will truly be the golden age of America. This is a major victory for the American people, which will allow us to make America great again.”
Ag organization endorsements
Trump’s victory was met favorably by several agriculture-related organizations, who voiced their eagerness to work with the new administration into the future.
“Congratulations to President-Elect Trump for his historic victory last night and for running such a hard-fought campaign. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is excited to work with Trump to undo the harm cattle producers have endured under four years of ‘Bidenomics’ and restore the free-market principles which have made U.S. cattle and beef the finest and safest in the world,” says NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane.
“Despite cattle prices soaring to record highs over the previous years, producers have been squeezed by exceptionally high input costs, record inflation and the Biden administration’s so-called competition agenda. This is the perfect opportunity to execute a hard reset on all of these failed policies,” Lane adds.
International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Chief Executive Officer Cathy Burns comments, “As we move into the next chapter of U.S. leadership, IFPA stands ready to work collaboratively with the incoming president and the new administration. We are unwavering in our mission to build our members’ prosperity by increasing access to and consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables and floral products, a critical step in building a healthier, more resilient future for all Americans.”
Other industry groups which have openly endorsed the new administration include the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), Renewable Fuels Association, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, National Corn Growers Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Growth Energy.
Ag industry impacts
As with any election, experts predict the 2024 General Election will bring sweeping changes to the agriculture landscape.
“With Trump returning to the presidency, new dynamics will unfold – especially in the U.S. Senate – where pivotal shifts are already affecting the agriculture sector,” says Sabrina Halvorson in a Nov. 6 Hoosier Ag Today news report.
During the newscast, Lane tells Halvorson some of the most pressing priorities for the new administration include regulatory overreach in the wake of the Loper Bright Enterprises vs. Raimondo decision, which has limited the leeway federal agencies have; tax relief for ag producers and the next farm bill.
AFBF President Zippy Duvall agrees, stating, “Now that the American people have spoken, it’s time to put politics aside and begin the work of ensuring families nationwide can prosper. Among the most pressing issues in rural America is the need for a new, modernized farm bill. The two-year delay is unacceptable.”
“The new administration must also address the impending tax hikes, which would crush many of America’s farmers and ranchers when stacked on top of inflation, high supply costs and market instability. Another big issue on farmers’ minds is the labor shortage and skyrocketing costs,” he adds.
However, while Trump’s reinstatement as president gives some people hope for the agriculture industry, others are worried his tactics won’ t help the industry at all.
On Nov. 6, Investigate Midwest staff posted an article titled “Four ways Trump could impact the agriculture sector during the second term,” citing concerns for the ag industry under Trump’s coming administration.
First, the article points out there is potential for the billions of dollars spent on climate-smart ag practices over the last four years to be completely reversed.
Investigate Midwest staff also say, “During his campaign, Trump promised to deport upwards of 20 million undocumented people, many of them agricultural workers who perform the dangerous jobs most Americans don’t want to. Trump’s close allies have recently proposed eliminating the H-2A Visa Program, which farmers said is necessary to fill labor shortages.”
The article also notes Trump promised to be more aggressive on trade policy.
During his second year in office, he enacted the most significant increase in U.S. tariffs since the Great Depression, according to Investigate Midwest, and countries such as China, Canada, the European Union, Mexico, India and Turkey responded to higher taxes with retaliatory tariffs, leading to an estimated $27 billion decline in foreign ag sales between mid-2018 to the end of 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service.
Other notable election results
In addition to the presidential race, other notable elections took place across the nation on Nov. 5.
Wyoming residents also had the opportunity to cast ballots for the state’s one congressional district and one of two Senate seats.
Both of the Republican candidates – Congresswoman Harriet Hageman and Sen. John Barrasso – won their respective races in a landslide, with Hageman garnering 71.9 percent of the vote and Barrasso securing 76 percent.
Additionally, a resounding sigh of relief rang through the agriculture industry following vote counts in Colorado, as three controversial measures with the potential to harm agriculture failed.
Ordinance 309, known more commonly as the Denver Slaughterhouse Ban, was voted down in landslide fashion with 140,457 votes against the initiative and 77,102 for it.
This ballot measure sought to shut down livestock harvest operations in Denver city limits beginning in January 2026, which would have resulted in the closing of Superior Farms, Inc., the nation’s largest lamb processor – a huge blow to western sheep producers and the industry as a whole.
According to a Colorado State University study conducted earlier this year, the ban would have cost the economy up to $861 million and threatened more than 2,700 jobs.
“We’re very pleased the ordinance was defeated. It’s a critical facility for the lamb industry, including sheep producers in Wyoming,” says Wyoming Stock Growers Association Executive Vice President Jim Magagna in a Nov. 6 Cowboy State Daily article by Jackie Dorothy. “If it had succeeded in Denver, there’s no doubt in our minds it would have led to other initiatives of the same type, be they in Colorado, California or other places where the proponents of it would feel they could have another success.”
Superior Farms, Inc. General Manager Gustavo Fernandez told Northern Ag Network, “I can’t tell you how relieved I am. Me and the workers at this facility just want to do our jobs and provide for our families. Now we can get back to it without this huge weight on our shoulders. Thank you, Denver.”
Colorado voters also rejected Ordinance 308, the Denver Fur Ban, which looked to prohibit the sale, distribution and manufacturing of new fur products within city limits.
However, the measure failed in a 65 to 35 percent vote.
Likewise, rural voters resoundingly defeated Proposition 127, which would have banned the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats in the state of Colorado.
According to a Nov. 5 Colorado Sun article by Jason Blevins, the initiative failed in a 55.5 to 44.5 percent vote and is the first time Colorado voters have rejected a wildlife ballot proposal since 1992.
“Coloradans stood up for science and sound wildlife management by voting against Proposition 127,” Dan Gates, chairman of the opposition group Colorado Wildlife Deserves Better, said in a statement Wednesday morning. “This result reflects the voices of those who recognize the importance of letting wildlife experts – not the ballot box – guide decisions on the conservation of Colorado’s big cats.”
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
